


To The Unseen Force (Behind All Life)

by TheTiredOwl



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Bottom Bucky Barnes, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Flying, M/M, Memory Loss, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Smut, Top Steve Rogers, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Witch AU, Witch Hunters, Witches, nursing back to health, shrinkyclinks, witch!bucky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:40:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22940371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTiredOwl/pseuds/TheTiredOwl
Summary: There is a new witch in the village who bears a terrible secret with him. Is he really the Winter Soldier from the war that was ages ago?Steve doesn't care about that, Bucky is his friend and so much more. But the past is catching up and the ugly face of Hydra is showing up again.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes & Wanda Maximoff, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 29
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Witch AU. There are already three chapters with about three chapters more to come. 
> 
> Please excuse my atrocious English as I'm not a native speaker.

It’s dark outside as Steve is closing his clinic to walk over to Natasha. She invited him along with Sam and Clint to dinner and he couldn’t refuse her. Shivering he draws his cloak tighter around his body that cannot seem to hold any warmth inside. The winter persists well beyond early spring, this March exceptionally cold this year. Maybe they will even get snow again. 

Sarah died when it was this cold, his mother’s sickness finally catching up on her, draining her power, ending her. It has been now five years but Steve is still missing her so much. Since she died, the village mourns its witch, who chased the winter away each year, blessing them with wonders only the gods provide them. 

They had hoped with Steve’s birth that he would inherit her power but he was a sickly child, always coughing, always coming down with a fever or some other illness. There was no magic he could manifest no matter how much he wished and prayed to the gods as Sarah taught him. Eventually, he gave up and accepted that he would be no witch. But soon he found another way to help his village. 

His mother was a healer and she knew everything about the herbs and plants, mending broken bones and hearts. She taught him everything she knew and nowadays Steve puts this knowledge to practice.

But still, the village needs a witch.

As he walks on his way over to Natasha’s house he spots a tall, dark silhouette at the corner of the alley, looking around. There may be no trace of magic inside him but he can still feel it in spirits and other witches.

This one is without question a witch.

He walks nearer and can now see in the low light of the streetlamp that it is a man, clad all in black with a bag and a broom buckled up his back. The cowl of his cloak throws a shadow across the witch’s face, so he can’t catch a clear sight of him.

“You’re new here," he states the obvious. “I’m Steve. I’m the village’s medic.”

The witch steps forward at Steve’s greeting and pulls the hood down. He has a handsome face, a bit scruffy though. Long, dark hair, hanging to his shoulders and icy blue eyes that glow a bit in the darkness before they dim down.

“I’m Bucky," he simply says and then looks around as if unsure. “Where do I find the mayor?”

A witch named Bucky? It’s surely a nickname and Steve grins. The mayor though, he knows, has already closed his office today. 

“Oh, he won’t be attainable until noon tomorrow.”

“I see," the witch visibly deflates.

“But there is an inn two streets from here. Not too expensive and the food is pretty good.”

Bucky seems to consider for a moment then nods and without another word starts to leave. Only to stop after a few steps, looking again to Steve. His eyes glow up again for a second and they widen as if he saw something surprising. But the moment passes.

“Which way?” he awkwardly asks Steve, who is smiling.

“I’ll show you.”

***

“The new witch seems nice," Natasha says two weeks later as they sit at the tavern for their monthly dinner together.

“Yeah, he settled in at the old cabin. Since then, it’s getting warmer, isn’t it? Finally, spring is coming.” Sam stretches and something pops audibly in his neck. 

The first spring flowers are indeed blooming. A good sign, Steve knows. The winter was too long and hard, but with a new village witch now that won’t be a problem for the next years to come. If he stays…

Clint, their huntsman, is slurping down his mushroom soup before chiming in. “Yesterday I found him at the old oak up the hills. He was just sitting there with his eyes closed. Didn’t even greet me.”

“He was probably meditating," Steve guesses.

“Whatever... he’s strange.”

“He’s not. You’re just pissed that the new witch is not some hot girl." Natasha laughs.

“Nah," Clint disagrees, shaking his head. “The dogs are not happy when they see him.”

“That could mean anything. A lot of animals are wary of magic users," Steve remarks and with that, he finishes his meal. 

They talk then about this and that until Steve excuses himself a bit later. His friends bid him goodbye and he leaves the tavern. 

Outside there is the smell of spring in the air, the days are getting longer so there is still light. As he walks home alone, voices are getting louder.

“Just leave me alone!”

A young woman is shouting angrily at some brutish man.

“It’s just a kiss and I’m gone, honey. You know that already and still you hold yourself out." The man draws nearer to her, trying to grab her arm.

“No! You don’t get it!” She tries to hit him but he snatches her hand easily.

Steve has seen enough. 

“Hey!” He shouts, the anger hot in him. “She said no, so leave her alone. Now!”

The man looks up at Steve and the girl takes the opportunity to snatch her hand back and running quickly to Steve’s side.

“This doesn’t concern you. She owes me, so shoot off, will ya?” the brute grunts.

“That’s not true. I was nice to you just one time!” the girl cries from behind Steve’s back, even if she towers over his slight build.

“You heard her. Just go away.” 

Oh, he hates those guys who think someone owes them anything no matter what. And harassing the girl? His jaw clenching, Steve takes a few steps towards the guy who doesn’t look a bit intimated. He knows, there is no reason, the guy should, but Sam and Natasha taught him a few tricks.

“Ok, you don’t want it another way, huh? This will hurt," the asshole grins but then suddenly takes a few steps back, his eyes going wide.

The cold is creeping up.

“Pick someone your own size, will you?” a gloomy voice suggests and Steve throws a glance over his shoulder.

The witch, Bucky, is standing there as if he appeared in a flash. The woman squeaks and the guy shakes his head, not wanting to put up with a witch.

“I’m outta here," he grumbles and walks away, faster than he probably likes.

“I had him," Steve mutters.

Bucky didn’t have to show up, he would have defeated the brute just fine without anyone to help. Besides, it reminds him of the fact that practically no one believes him to be able to chase one stupid guy away.

“You okay?” the witch asks the young woman who nods and then looks at Steve.

“He was helping me just fine. But thank you for showing up," she tells him with Steve huffing thankfully and smiles at both of them. 

The witch nods and she bids them both goodbye before she walks away, occasionally glancing behind at them. 

“As she said .. I could’ve done it alone,” Steve says as she’s out of earshot.

“I believe you.” 

“Really?” Steve stares at Bucky. 

“Mhmm,” the witch nods.

“Okay then. Uhm, thanks for showing up, I guess," he doesn’t know what to say to Bucky now that a fight was averted.

“I wanted to speak to you anyway. Now is a good time as any.” 

That makes Steve pricking up his ears. 

“Do you have a problem? Are you hurt?”

“No," Bucky simply says. “You said, you’re the medic of the village so I thought you know your way around certain plants.”

Steve tilts his head and looks closer at the witch. His face is pale, clean-shaven now and there is a little cleft in his chin. He gave his hair a little trim too, the long dark hair a bit shorter and dressed in a half-up. He has a handsome face, Steve thinks.

“I do," he eventually tells him. “What is the problem?”

“I have a mandrake here." Bucky takes his bag from his shoulders and opens it to draw out a little potted plant. It looks a bit dry and sad, Steve thinks.

“Let’s go to the clinic," he suggests. “And see what we can do for our little patient here.”

The witch’s lips curl in an amused smile at his words and nods.

***

“You also live here?” Bucky asks after Steve told him to simply enrich the mandrakes soil a bit more and give it more sun. 

“Uh-huh,” Steve nods, pouring hot water into two mugs filled with tea leaves.

They are sitting in the kitchen in the rear of the clinic. Actually, Steve could’ve told the stuff about the plant on the street but decided otherwise. It would be nice to know the witch a bit closer.

“I examine and treat the patients on the ground floor with the kitchen and the bathroom nearby. The bedroom is upstairs. The house is small but it is mine," he tells him. “My mother worked hard for this before she died.”

“I’m sorry. How long is she dead?” Bucky asks, taking one of the mugs and stirring up the tea leaves a bit.

“It’s five years now," and it hurts still, Steve adds in his thoughts. 

“Hm … she was a good witch.”

“How do you know?” Steve asks surprised, looking at Bucky.

“The mayor told me. She was also your medic.”

“Yes, she was. She taught me everything she knew. She could talk to the plants and sometimes she took me up for a flight.” That was also his favorite memory of his childhood. The freedom he felt in the sky was the sweetest gift she ever gave him. “Do you fly?” he finally asks the witch.

“Sometimes," Bucky says rather dismissively. “Do you also talk to the plants?”

“No, I didn’t inherit anything other than her knowledge and this house.” Steve presses his lips together, not wanting to be reminded of the fact that he hasn’t Sarah’s power. With that, he could do so much more.

“She gave you much more, I think. I saw, how you challenged that guy on the streets. That’s courage.”

Pride swells up in Steve’s chest, alongside another warm feeling. 

“Yes, she also taught me that. You stand up no matter what," he says with a smile.

***

He didn’t exactly plan to, but drinking tea with the medic turned out a pleasant diversion from his usual duties. Bucky found Steve first a bit strange but the same can be said about him too. 

A somewhat angry little guy with so much light in and about him. He thought at first that Steve was also a witch but found out quickly otherwise. Still, it made sense that he was a witch’s son. Sitting here, chatting with him came easily, something he had so many difficulties as long as he remembers.

“She was a good mother," Bucky remarks and that makes the other man smile. It is a radiant smile and he gets nearly blinded by it. He likes it, he finds and wants to watch him smile more often. Sometimes in the last two weeks, he saw the medic on the market, buying groceries and supplies but didn’t have the heart to go speak with him. He likes to be by himself and knows that many people don’t trust him yet. A redhead came over a few days ago. Natasha told him a bit about the village, all the things the mayor didn’t mention, invited him over for dinner, which he politely declined. But she was nice enough.

Without a second thought, he pulls up his sleeves to be a bit more comfortable and sees immediately Steve staring at his arm. Of course. 

“Does it hurt?” the medic asks with wide eyes, hopefully just out of professional concern.

Bucky looks at his scarred up left arm and shakes his head.

“No," he says and moves to pull the sleeve back down. 

But Steve holds out his hand, apparently having none of it.

“It’s okay, I have seen worse.”

Bucky doesn’t doubt him, but still, his arm is an unpleasant sight. With a sigh, he grabs his tea and takes a sip of the hot liquid. It soothes him somewhat but not entirely. It is a good tea though. Probably a mixture of Steve’s mother. He can smell and taste valerian, chamomile and lime blossoms.

“Where did you get them... if I may ask? You don’t have to tell," Steve adds quickly after his question, but Bucky has not much to say about that.

“The war.”

“But… that was a long time ago. Eighty years," the other man wonders with wide eyes. The war of the witches began with cursed fields and burning witches and ended with compromises on both sides. Many people have already forgotten about that, Bucky thinks. But there is something brewing in the west, some rumors say.

“I slept a long time, I think.” Bucky rubs his head, getting tired. “There was a man I trusted but that didn’t turn out so well. I don’t like to talk about that.”

He doesn’t even know, why he tells Steve these things as little they may be. Yes, there was that man with the reddish-blonde hair and a radiant smile. Just like Steve’s if it weren’t as false as a snake's. Blue eyes like the sky, chiseled jaw and wit as quick as a whip’s. His mind searches for a name but none comes up. Maybe it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s been a long time and his memory is so fractured by the long sleep and the coldness.

“I’m sorry... you don’t have to talk about that. But you can talk to me any time if you want to. It doesn’t have to be now,” Steve tells him softly, sitting so near him, his fingertips almost touch his ruined arm.

There are a few moments without any words between them, spent with drinking the tea. But eventually, Steve breaks the silence.

“So you fly," he remarks with a grin on his face. “I saw your broom.”

“Yes," Bucky sighs, now slightly amused. He can think of which way this will go. And here it comes. 

“Will you take me with you? Someday?” Steve sounds so excited that Bucky doesn’t have the heart to tell him immediately off.

“Ugh … I’ve got the feeling, you’ll be asking me this a lot.”

“I loved flying with my mother. It’s one of my favorite memories. The sky’s so beautiful.”

“It is," Bucky agrees. “But…”

“But what?”

“I’m not sure. I have to say no for now.”

“Oh…” For a moment Steve looks like a rejected puppy but then he lights up again. “But maybe later?”

“...ugh…”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Bucky take Steve up to the sky? Will they fall in love (you already know it)?
> 
> If you liked it so far, please leave kudos and comments <3 I'll love you for this <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the second chapter. I hope you'll like it as I was excited to write it.
> 
> Thank you all for your kudos and comments :)
> 
> Chapter 4 is also now already written and in in the edits with chapter 5 in the works.

"I want to fly."

Bucky looks up from his grimoire and a thick drop of ink seeps through the thin paper. The question of his friend didn’t take him especially by surprise, but still. 

Three months now have passed with the summer heat replacing the gentle weather of spring. Frequently now they visit each other, talking about plants, witchcraft and of course flying.

Steve looks at him expectantly, his head slightly tilted with a smile on his radiant face. Bucky likes him very much but his answer still stands. Technically he loves to fly. Alone. Because it is not so easy as one might think. There has to be a spell active and he has to concentrate. It’s an old issue by now, they talked about this, but Steve always asks the next day or the other.

“No, Steve. I know you want to, but no.”

“But … but, please …” Steve whines which let Bucky know that he really wants it this time. 

Normally Steve would huff for a while, letting the issue rest and bugs him again the next day. 

“Tomorrow is my birthday and I want this as my present from you,” Steve insists.

“Why?” 

“Well, you know ... my mother...” he trails off, scraping the dust on the floor of Bucky’s kitchen with his boot.

Yes, Bucky knows. Steve’s mother was a witch, not unlike himself. Of course, she had taken her son to the sky, not just once. He can see the appeal of taking one's child up for a ride, showing them the world underneath, riding along with the clouds or at night under the moonlight.

Bucky sighs. “It’s difficult for me.”

He is beginning to relent, he feels it. There is not much he can deny his small friend. Steve can make his vivid blue eyes go big and round like a puppy. It is at times unnerving but Bucky doesn’t have it in his heart to tell him to drop that act. Besides, Steve is so sincere with his request, Bucky can’t take it any longer.

“It’s difficult and dangerous, admittedly more for you than me, but still…” he sighs again. “I really can’t refuse you, huh?”

“Yes!” Steve cheers, actually bouncing up for a second but cools down quickly. “I mean, of course, you can’t refuse me.” He grins so brightly that Bucky has to resist to smile too. 

Steve makes it really difficult to be cool about it but seeing as Bucky has given up so easily this time, it gives him something to think about. 

“Well … I should warn you. You have to listen to me and listen close. It is dangerous because I have to concentrate and you can’t interrupt me, you understand?”

“Of course," Steve promises quickly.

“Okay.” Bucky isn’t happy about it but if it is so important to Steve then he will do this. “I have to prepare for a few things, you know. A salve…”

“...made of human children's fat, haha." Steve has the nerve to laugh about that joke. The flying salve is not in fact made of human fat as some nasty rumors claim. They don’t even use those toxic herbs like belladonna anymore.

“I see, you know the drill.” Bucky has to grin. “Come tomorrow at sunset, we will meet at the hills at the old oak.”

“Does that mean, you won’t celebrate with us? I know that Nat has already prepared a small party at the clinic. Sam and Clint will be there too.” Ah, there they are again, the oh so big puppy dog eyes. 

Bucky likes Nat but isn’t sure about Sam and Clint. They are friendly to him but he doesn’t seem to connect with both of them so easily as with Steve. But as it seems, he can’t refuse this time too. 

“A party? Well … I could come in the afternoon and then we go together? How does that sound?” 

“Perfect.”

***

The next morning, Bucky wakes up with a headache. 

His dreams were confusing, hyperrealistic in their intensity. Steve was falling down from the broom as they were flying through the night. The arms of a Kraken were reaching up for them, but not to catch Steve, instead, they engulfed Bucky, suffocating him as his body was getting colder and colder. _Winter_ _…_ _Winter, come home_ , they whispered over and over again in his mind, before he shut down and the dream faded away to soothing darkness with only red wisps in it...

It feels so different than his usual prophetic dreams and more like an astral projection. But he didn’t even prepare for one. Either something or someone reached out for him or he himself had wandered on the astral plane without even trying for such a feat. 

This is not a good start. 

With a groan, Bucky rises from his bed and reaches immediately for the jar of water on the bed stand. A few whispers of words of power and the water is cold again, refreshing him but not calming down his fast-beating heart.

Only after his morning routine, he feels better. Maybe it was Steve's tea, maybe it was his morning meditation, but he feels calmer now. Still, he doesn’t know exactly what to take from that strange dream. 

After eating breakfast and caring for the plants, he takes to finish the salve which is more of thick oil. He already had plenty of the anointing oil for usage, but for today it has to have a little special touch. It is Steve’s birthday and he wants to give him this present. There is also the book of toxic herbs and plants as a gift for Steve, that he himself wrote. It didn’t take long to copy it, with the right spell, the quill moves on its own and the little black leather-bound book he bought, is of good quality. There are also examples of the plants, pressed flat between the pages. Bucky thinks it would be a nice touch and a good gift for Steve. Even if there wouldn’t be anything in it, that Steve doesn’t know already. 

Just a bit more sandalwood now and then he has to fill the thick oil into the little jar he had prepared. And finally, he is ready. Quietly he breathes another spell for safekeeping, although he has to ration his energy for today’s evening. But for now, all the gifts are ready, he notes and realizes that he is actually looking forward to the flight with Steve. 

But still, his dream doesn’t let go.

* * *

Steve had a wonderful day by now. The clinic was less frequented, just a few kids with scrapes and a sprained knee, a couple of the old ladies, who wanted to restock on their teas and that was it. They bought him some flowers and congratulated him on his twenty-fifth birthday. But altogether it seemed quiet enough today, so he closed the clinic early for Natasha’s party. In case of an emergency, he would be there until sunset. Nat showed up early and shooed him out for an hour or two, which he spends on the market to buy some wine and ale for his friends. He hadn’t seen Bucky today and still hoped, he would come in the afternoon. 

“Do you think, he’ll come?” he asks Sam for the sixth time.

“Dude, I don’t know Bucky so well, but if he has promised to show up, he will.” Sam takes a sip from his bottle of ale, apparently not bothered by Steve’s frequent asking.

“...and speaking of the devil. Here he comes," Clint proclaims and stuffs his face with cake.

The little bell jingles happily as the door opens and Bucky appears finally, looking cautiously around until he spots Steve. Then a bright grin breaks out on his handsome face, clutching his bag to his chest and he walks over to Steve and Sam.

“Happy Birthday, Steve," he greets him and then nods at Sam. “Hey.”

“Hey," says Sam smiling. “You want some?” He raises his bottle, but Bucky shakes his head.

“No, I have to have a clear head for later…” He looks pointedly at Steve. 

“How about some cake?” Natasha is wandering over with a plate already full of delicious smelling chocolate cake.

“It’s really good. Nat baked it herself.” Steve beams at Bucky, who eventually nods and takes the plate Nat is holding out for him.

“With some help.” She adds but wouldn’t say, who actually helped her.

For a moment, Bucky stands there with his bag in one hand and the plate in the other. Then he visibly shakes his head and holds out his bag. 

“There … there’s a gift for you in the bag," he says and adds, “It is the black book.”

They smile at each other and Steve reaches inside the bag to draw out the mentioned book. Secretly he is almost disappointed. Has Bucky forgotten about the ride? Or worse, he has thought over the whole plan and decided, he doesn’t want to take Steve with him and goes flying alone? 

“Don’t look like you stepped into a pile of dung. I haven’t forgotten.” Bucky’s voice is low but his eyes twinkle.

Now relieved and a bit ashamed that he thought so bad about Bucky, he looks now at his other gift. The book lies small but solid in his hand, the black leather smells new and he opens it. There is Bucky’s neat handwriting, little drawings of plants and dried and pressed examples of them. 

“I know that you know almost everything about toxic herbs. But I thought…” Bucky trails off.

“I love it," Steve says quickly and closes the book to press it against his chest. “It’s wonderful.” Because it’s from you, he adds silently.

Bucky looks relieved and takes back his bag to set it down. Steve accompanies him to the table where he sits down and wolfs down the cake. 

“That’s really delicious," he says with a full mouth and Nat is laughing in apparent delight.

Together they finish what’s left of the cake and then Clint is opening the first bottle of wine, which they share among them. Except for Bucky who is nursing a mug of water. But they sit together, him, Sam, Clint and Natasha, and Steve couldn’t be happier at this moment.

***

“Sun’s going down soon," Bucky reminds him after two hours had passed in which they all shared the latest gossip or chatted about their work, talking mostly about Clint’s hunting adventures. 

Steve peeks through the window and has great difficulty to hide his excitement. 

“If you would excuse us? Bucky and I have … uh, something to do," he tells his friends who all look up curiously and then begin to snicker.

“Is this about flying? Because we figured that out long ago," Sam laughs.

“Yeah, Steve. You’ve hinted at it since this party started," Clint adds helpfully. “And that look on your face, when he gifted you that book … that was hilarious by the way.”

Natasha downs her glass of wine before she stands up and wraps her arm around him, hugging Steve. “Be careful up there, okay?”

Bucky shifts from one foot to the other, watching the whole show with obvious uneasiness.

“I’ll take care of him, I promise," he says finally.

“Everything will be fine, Nat," Steve adds. “I’ll go flying.” 

He’s so excited, he could grab Bucky and drag him outside the village and up the hills so they can finally fly.

The walk first to Bucky’s cabin to fetch his broom and then to the old oak is filled with some chatter from Steve, although Bucky is mostly silent. For a minute he fears that the witch has second thoughts and cancels the whole thing.

But Bucky says nothing of these sorts and as they arrive at the old oak, he draws a small jar from his bag.

“The salve…” he explains as he opens it. “We won’t need much. Just … a little bit.”

With that, he dips his forefinger into the jar and smears a bit of the warm mixture on Steve’s forehead. The witch is whispering quiet words under his breath in a language that Steve has heard from his mother but never learned enough to understand it properly. He then repeats the process on himself.

“Okay, well … I need to meditate for a few minutes. Which means you have to be quiet. Although you can join me.” Bucky offers as he sits down under the oak and promptly closes his eyes.

Steve looks around indecisive if he wants or not. But seeing Bucky falling deeper in meditation, his face relaxing, he sits down too opposite of him. As he closes his eyes, his many thoughts are chaos inside his head. There is the chirping of the birds, the rush of wind through the foliage, he thinks he can even hear Bucky’s deep breaths. There is the witch inside his head with his rare smile which can break out in a bright grin when he’s delighted. His sullen looks when something doesn’t go the way he likes it. His long dark brown hair, which shines auburn when the sunlight’s hitting it just right. Bucky. Bucky. Bucky lying naked on his bed, silver-blue eyes shining with want. His plush lips open up and he gasps his name.

“Steve.”

“...huh?”

“Steve, it’s time.” 

Oh. Oh right! Steve opens his eyes and Bucky is looking at him curiously. 

“Let’s go," he suggests and stands up, reaching a hand out for Steve to grab and pull himself up.

Bucky dusts himself down for a bit and then goes for his broom. Meanwhile, the heat in Steve’s cheeks subsides and the former excitement for flying is taking its place again.

Bucky holds out his broom and lets it hover. 

“You first," he says and when as Steve climbs up, he sits behind him, his body warming Steve’s back. He can’t resist snuggling up to him.

“Comfortable?” Bucky sounds amused and then asks him to hold fast.

They hover a bit a few inches above the ground and then they suddenly soar up. Steve cheers as Bucky chuckles behind him and they fly high, disturbing a crowd of birds and not long after that, the old oak looks like a tiny shrub underneath them. 

“Oh, here…” Bucky lets go of one hand to fumble around in his bag and gives him a tiny lantern with a spirit light inside. “It will get dark soon.”

Indeed there are the first stars already twinkling up the almost cloudless sky. Steve hangs the lantern by its handle on the broom.

“It’s .. Bucky, it’s beautiful," he says. Their nearby village looks so small, their lights just tiny pinpoints. It’s just like he remembered, flying with his mom. “Thank you.”

“We will be up there for a while, Steve. No need to thank me yet," Bucky warns him, amused and right on cue a gust rocks Steve almost off the broom if the witch hadn’t quickly wrapped an arm around his middle. 

“Uh … everything’s alright," Steve insists and the broom sways softly now in the wind. 

They fly for a while away from the hills and the village towards the woods. 

“What’s that?” Steve cranes his head to look closer. 

There are wisps of red coming up from a glade in the woods. They soar up and he feels Bucky tensing up behind him. But then the red haze falls down and disappears.

“Maybe there is another witch in the woods," Bucky guesses gloomily. 

If so, then they never showed up in the village. Maybe they want to be alone, Steve thinks and is pleased that it was Bucky, who came to the village to be their local witch. Who knows who they would have instead?

“Steve, look out!” Bucky suddenly shouts and they take a sharp turn as something rises up fast. They evade it only just.

“What the fuck…?” That thing looks like a tentacle and another rises up beside him from a thick black cloud that has somehow formed over the woods. There comes a third and a fourth tentacle, rising up like the arms of a Kraken, threatening to enfold them both. No, not them both, just Bucky!

“Damn!” 

Steve throws a glance over his shoulder to the cursing witch, who is shaking his leg. One of the tentacles has wrapped itself around his ankle and tries to pull him off the broom. With a vicious snarl, Bucky speaks a few otherworldly words that snap off the thing, but another replaces it soon.

“Cling on tight!” Bucky shouts as he guides them lower and back to the hills, evading the tentacles with sharp turns. 

The cloud and the arms follow them but suddenly the world is spinning. For a second he sees a bright light and then all goes black before his eyes.

* * *

“Steve!”, Bucky cries as his small friend is tumbling down the broom and a radiant light engulfs his spinning body. Oh gods, this is his nightmare all over again. 

He sends a quick prayer to the Morrigan and snarls a spell that cuts the tentacles apart and chases the black cloud away. But it’s still dangerous. Whoever is out there, is not interested in Steve. They would have him already as he was falling down. They are after Bucky and they will come again. He senses it will be soon.

But now, Steve is his priority. Quickly he flies down to the ground just before the woods. Steve must be there somewhere. He buckles his bag and his broom on his back and then heads out into the forest. 

It’s quiet and so dark, his tiny lantern only providing so much light. So it costs him a bit more of his energy to summon a few more spirit lights.

“Can you find him?”, he asks the little will o'wisps and offers them a taste of his magic. 

They dance a little, which could mean anything but then they float off, all of them head deep into the woods. Bucky has no choice but to follow them, so he does exactly that. 

Twigs lash at his face as he tears through the forest after the wisps in search of Steve. How long he runs, Bucky doesn’t know, but then he finally finds him. It is a small glade where he lies. 

“Steve!” 

He looks so broken, his small, fragile body on the ground. Bucky rushes to his side with his head hammering in his chest. The wisps dissipate only the little light of his lantern remains.

“Steve, please wake up!”, he pleads, crouching down and touching lightly Steve’s shoulder. There is something wet dropping on Steve’s cheek and Bucky realizes, it’s his tears. They’re falling freely now, the thought of losing his friend unbearable.

“... ugh…” Steve groans, twitching a bit and it’s the most beautiful sound Bucky ever heard. 

“You’re alive…” He sobs, almost reaching out and shaking the small body of his friend. 

“Bucky … what happened?” Eyes wide and wet, blinking owlishly up to the witch and then he groans in pain. “My leg!”

Steve’s right leg lies in an awkward ankle and it looks so painful that Bucky grimaces. He has seen worse and he had expected worse, but it still pains him too. 

Because it’s Steve, his traitorous mind provides.

“Hold on, I know a spell…” Bucky tries to calm him, but he knows it is a lie. 

Bucky knows no really powerful healing spell that would suffice now, there is only one thing he can do with the last of his power after he drained so much already for the flight, the attack and lastly the search for Steve. It’s a long shot but he has to try.

“Can you concentrate for a bit?”

“...Bucky, it hurts…”

His Steve is in pain and it hurts Bucky too. 

“I know, but we have to do this.” He could carry him but would it be enough to reach the village? It is miles away now and even if Steve is a lightweight, he doesn’t know, if he could carry him all the way home.

But there is something. Something he saw, when he met Steve for the first time in his mind and when it manifested itself as he fell. This bright light, it wasn’t from the attackers and it certainly wasn’t one of his spells. He suspected already but then, Steve is the son of a witch. Why shouldn’t it work? There must be something… 

He lays both hands over Steve’s chest and takes a deep breath. Incantations pour from his lips, prayers to the gods, searching for something deep within this broken body. He hears Steve’s pained wheezes, but slowly they grow quiet and stable. Do his spells work? 

Slowly a light rises beneath his fingers, just above Steve’s chest and Bucky smiles. He was right. There is power within his friend. Latent, but there and it explains a lot. Bucky can see it now a third time but felt it the whole time. It is the power of a witch, pure, uncorrupted, Sarah’s gift to her beloved son. It’s a shame, he can’t use it properly, but it would be enough to save him and Steve is perfect anyway. 

Bucky may know some light healing spells, but with this kind of magic inside Steve, he can mend his broken bones sure enough. The witch guides the soothing light through all of Steve’s body.

“Wha- … what's that?” Steve opens his eyes slowly after he had shut them.

“It’s yours. The light … it’s coming from you”, Bucky smiles relieved. He’ll explain it later. It’s important now that Steve will be healed enough for them to go home.

The light subsides slowly, sinking back into Steve’s chest and he carefully tries to move his leg. It doesn’t seem to hurt him anymore, the bones knitted perfectly together now as he tries to stand up with Bucky’s help.

Steve stumbles a bit, right into the witch’s arms. His body feels so hot against him, burning with that power within him but that too subsides slowly. 

“Enough to walk home now? It’s quite a long way now and no more flying," Bucky says, initially unwilling to let go of Steve but does it anyway. 

“Yeah … but that cloud, these .. tentacles?” Steve asks, testing gingerly his newfound strength on his leg. “Will they come back?”

“I don’t know. I chased them away but…” Bucky can only hope that they won’t come back. 

“They were attacking you, right? Why would they do that?”

Bucky has a sneaking suspicion but hopes it wouldn’t be confirmed. But vice versa he knows his luck. Grimly he presses his lips together.

“Could be witch hunters for all I know," he says finally and avoids Steve’s curious look.

“Witch hunters with magic?” The smaller man says disbelievingly.

Bucky decides to just shrug at Steve’s point. 

“We have different worries now. Like coming home. Let’s go," he suggests and walks on, twigs snapping underneath his boots.

***

They have no luck on their way home. It begins to rain cats and dogs just as they reached the hills, the cold creeping deep into Bucky’s bones, exhausting him even further. 

They don’t talk much on the way with the rain further souring his mood. But as they finally reach the village and Steve’s clinic, the medic speaks up for the first time in almost half an hour.

“Shall I escort you to your cabin?” he asks with a brave smile on his face.

“No, it’s okay. You should get rest," Bucky answer although he would’ve liked Steve to accompany him the rest of the way.

Steve’s handsome face falls but he quickly recovers. “You sure?”

“Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Steve is giving up unusually fast, so he must be really tired, Bucky guesses. 

“Okay," he says and then draws Bucky into a hug. “Regardless of what happened, I had fun. Thank you so much.”

Steve sounds so sincere, Bucky believes him. A smile creeps up his lips and for a moment they just look at each other. Then Steve rises on his tiptoes and kisses him quickly but oh so very gently on his cheek before grinning.

“Good night.”

And with that, Steve disappears inside his home with Bucky staring dumbfounded after him.

“Good night … sleep well," he whispers unheard by Steve, watching as the lamps inside light up which is his cue to leave.

Soaking wet but strangely happy he walks home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What were this attack about? Will the past catching up with Bucky?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your kudos :)  
> I have been sick for a while now, but Chapter 5 is almost finished.  
> Have fun with this rather short chapter, guys <3

The next morning Bucky wakes up, his throat feels raw and hot. It hurts to swallow and it hurts even more when he has to cough. With an aching head he move to stand up and leave the bed for a glass of water but as soon as his feet hit the floor, he feels so dizzy he has to lie back again.

The fever burns hot in his veins, chasing away the cold that usually sticks to his bones. He won’t get anything done today in such a state. Upset he lies back and tries to sleep the fever off, but all the pictures in his mind distract him. Steve is falling down from the broom, the tentacles reaching up to him, the whispers in his head _come home, Winter, come home_. It was a voice he knows but can’t find a name to it. So many dead bodies, cries of horror, grief and pain. Steve’s broken body. But then there is the soothing light and Steve’s kiss on his cheek. 

The last one indeed soothes him a bit and he falls into a dreamless sleep.

The next time he awakes, it is to a cold wet rag to his forehead and cool fingertips gently stroking his burning hand. 

“It’s alright, Bucky," a voice says and his mind fumbles to identify to whom it belongs. It takes a few moments but as he opens his dry eyes, it is Steve, who is sitting beside him on his bed. 

“Hey, you’re awake … finally," Steve is smiling so blindingly bright, Bucky has to close his eyes again. “I wanted to see how you were doing but you didn’t answer the door. I thought it would be okay if I came in. You were sleeping for so long now.”

“It’s okay," Bucky croaks and hopes it sounds as reassuring as he intended. He still feels like burning up and his throat hurts as if he swallowed broken glass.

“I see”, Steve says, lifting the wet rag from his forehead. “I’ll make you some soup, you need your strength to fight this off.” 

Bucky hears the ripple of water as Steve is wetting the rag again and wringing it out. “Sleep a bit more if you can. I’ll be here.” The cool cloth is back again and Bucky lifts his hand to pull it a bit over his eyes to shield them from the light.

Steve is humming a low melody as he amuses himself in the kitchen area of the small cabin. There might not be much to cook with but Bucky can’t think of this as he is slowly sinking into sleep again.

As he awakens later from a dreamless state, Steve isn't there at all like he promised but a bowl stands on his nightstand, smelling of clear broth. At least he has something to eat, Bucky concludes and sits up which takes a few tries given his sorry state. The bowl is still hot, so Steve hasn’t left not long ago. He can taste that the broth was made from various vegetables and chicken. It’s really good, warming him from the inside after the fever burned off in his sleep, now leaving him shivering. It has not broken, he thinks, the next wave will come surely.

There is a soft knock at his door and then Steve is coming in after he waited for some sort of acknowledgment from Bucky, who just grunted his approval. 

“Hey, you’re awake again.” Steve smiles, bringing with him a basket inside. “I brought some more food since your kitchen isn’t stocked very well. Do you ever go to the market?”

“Sometimes…” Bucky says, slurping down some more of the soup. 

“Well, now it’s enough to last for a few days.”

“How can I…”

“You don’t have to repay me, Bucky," Steve interrupts him, knowing full well what he was about to say. “I’m also your medic and even if I wasn’t … I want to take care of you.”

A smile forms around Bucky’s dry lips, his heart fluttering in his chest. 

“I can’t even remember when someone wanted to do that," he confesses, setting the now-empty bowl down. 

“Where were you all the time?” Steve asks, finished with stowing away the vegetables he bought and now walking to his bed to sit down beside him.

“I … don’t know exactly," Bucky tries to answer, looking over to his small friend. “There was the war and I was hurt. And then there was only coldness and endless winter. Sometimes I was awake and there was the man I trusted for whatever reason. He spoke of … a demon? A hydra or something like that, I don’t know. Order through pain and chaos … yes, something like that. I think…” He trails off, not daring to look at Steve, who gently touches his right hand, stroking with cool, soothing fingers over his hot, burning ones.

“I think, I did things … horrible things. I didn’t want this, but I did them. So many deaths and I could only watch. Like in a nightmare, where you can only watch but not control anything you do...” He didn’t even notice when the tears started, but then two scrawny arms wrap themselves around his shoulders and Steve is hugging him to his chest. 

“It’s over now," his friend whispers. “You’re awake now.”

And Bucky cries. He hides in Steve’s arms and lets the tears fall with Steve drawing him even closer, gently stroking his hair, whispering sweet nothings. 

They stay like this for a long time, Bucky thinks.

“Sleep now for a little bit," Steve suggests eventually and guides him back into the cushions. “I have to go back to the clinic but I will be back by sunset. I promise.”

Bucky doesn’t want him to go but he sees the reason. So he nods weakly and Steve rewards him with a kiss to his forehead. 

After Steve is gone, Bucky can’t go immediately to sleep again. After a few tries, he stands up to go pee outside, washing his hands and face. After that, he goes to the kitchen area and fills his bowl again. Settling with the broth in his bed as he doesn’t trust his little strength, he contemplates what he told his friend. It was more than he wanted to tell but he trusts Steve. It seemed the medic believed him and he didn’t walk out of the door immediately. 

Bucky takes a sip of the now rapidly cooling broth when he notices something wriggling in it. That can’t be right, his mind provides but instead of throwing the bowl away, he looks closer. The swirling inside the bowl intensifies and suddenly a small arm like that of a Kraken reaches out from the broth. He lets out a shocked gasp and this is his cue to throw the broth away from him. The soup spills over the floorboards but there is nothing but clear liquid and nothing like tentacles to find. Was that just his fevered mind playing cruel games with him? His heart palpitates with fear, heavy in his chest. 

_Come home, Winter._

“No…” Bucky gasps and downright leaps from his bed, throwing his cloak over his weakened body and races to the door to flee outside.

* * *

“You should take it easy, Steve," Natasha says while chewing an apple.

After he left Bucky, Steve immediately headed to his clinic. Technically it’s closed today, but he still needs to prepare some things. Of course, Natasha came over to look for him and didn’t stop fretting over him after she heard, how their trip on the broom ended. 

“It’s okay, nothing hurts. But Bucky has caught a cold," he tries to calm her down again whilst packaging some herbal tea for the witch. “But there is something. Have you ever heard of a hydra?”

“A hydra? Hmm…” Natasha ponders for a while before she answers. “In the war of the witches, there was a fraction that called themselves Hydra. They were originally a group of witch hunters but dabbled with witchcraft themselves and were summoning a demon when a group of witch hunters from the other side caught up with them and destroyed them. Why?”

“Bucky dreamed of something, said he remembers a hydra. Do you think, they could be the same?”

“Witches can get very old under the right circumstances. You said, he was in the war, right? And then slept for a long time in the cold?”

“Something like that, yeah.”

“Hmm…” Natasha falls silent again, the half-chewed apple now forgotten. Then she hops from the table she was sitting on. “I heard a ghost story once when I was a small child. There was a warlock under the banner of Hydra, they called him the _Winter Soldier_. He was strong, fast and brought with him ice and pain. They said he would sleep for years before coming back and haunting little children who misbehave.” She chuckles for a second as if in fond memory.

“Do you think, there could be a chance that Hydra still exists?” Steve asks finally.

“Oh, sure. There are rumors in the west, strange sightings of incantations of their symbol. It’s a skull with tentacles. Sounds familiar, right?”

“You mean, these Kraken arms that attacked us?” Steve suppresses a shiver. “They didn’t want me, they were reaching for Bucky.”

“Maybe he is this ghost story?” Natasha pensively says and resumes in eating the apple until there’s only the core which she snips into the trash. 

Steve looks up to her, not in surprise. He thought of that as she was telling her little story but still, he can’t think of Bucky as a remorseless killer.

“I think, he was controlled.”

“Could be. But if Hydra is working on getting him back, then we should do something about that. We can’t let them have our village witch," she tries to cheer him up, but it falls a little bit flat. He is nevertheless thankful that she believes him or at least trusts him. 

“I have to go look for Bucky," Steve eventually says and grabs a bag to fill it with some tea and a tonic for his fever.

“That’s the plan. I’ll tell Sam and Clint to look out for warning signs.” Natasha walks the few steps over to him and quickly hugs him. “Take care of yourself and Bucky, will you? And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Of course, Nat. I love you, you know?” Steve smiles bravely, hugging her back.

“I know”, she smiles and calls after him as he hurriedly leaves the clinic, “Be careful!”

But as Steve finally arrives at the cabin, Bucky is nowhere to be seen. 

* * *

Bucky is running. He has already left behind the hills and the old oak and is arriving at the edge of the forest. Whatever possessed him until now, he can’t even fathom. But it feels so right coming here again. The voices subsided but still, he wants to go deeper. What he will find, he doesn’t know, so he walks deeper into the woods.

It’s quiet there, all the noises from rustling leaves and animals are gone and only his footsteps can be heard. He drags his cloak tighter around his sweat-soaked body and for a moment he’s angry with himself at not having dressed accordingly for his little walk. 

Suddenly tiny wisps of red light appear at the edge of the glade he is standing in. 

“Who are you?” he grumbles at them. “Are you the witch of the woods?”

The lights twinkle for a moment and then scatter apart as if banished.

“My my … what do we have here?” a low grunting voice speaks up and two men walk into the glade. They’re clad in black, on their chest an insignia of a skull with tentacles.

Hydra, his mind provides, even if Bucky doesn’t know, where it comes from.

“What do you want?” he asks as he steps back, ready to run again.

“That’s the _Winter Soldier_? He looks nothing like the warlock, Pierce talks about.” The bigger man with the scarred face asks the other.

“Nah, you’ve seen his picture. It’s him, Rollins. Now, would you please do us the favor and come quietly with us?” the other man sweetly asks the witch, walking a few steps towards Bucky.

Bucky stills. He’s still weak from yesterday and now the cold, but if he has to, then he will take the two of them down.

“I don’t want to hurt you…” he warily says and thinks of a quick prayer to the gods. 

The men look at each other and the smaller of the two begins to grin, shaking his head. 

“Oh no, you won’t hurt us," he tells him smugly and draws something from his black cloak. 

Bucky’s eyes widen as he realizes what the other man is holding in his gloved hand. It is a small crystal, clear as ice and from experience, he knows that it also feels like the winter itself. The coldness it expels reaches for him, an oh so familiar experience.

“Oh gods, no …” he whispers and then has to steel himself. He knows this relic the other man holds in his hand, outstretched now. This man, Pierce, he had this relic once.

As the cold creeps towards him, he begins whispering words of power. The old language of Magick with its force flows through his body, the grace of the old gods inside him. They won’t get him, he will not allow it. 

“Hurry up, Rumlow. He tries to stir something up," the scarred man, Rollins, says unnerved.

“I got it," Rumlow grumbles and then throws the ice crystal into the air, where it floats between them and Bucky, reaching out with its coldness to finally engulf him.

Bucky feels it, reaching into his mind but with a final word of power, the wind is soaring up, stirring the crystal in mid-air. From the corner of his eye, he can spot the red wisps again coming from the shadows. Maybe the witch from the woods is on his side? 

“What’s that?” The men of Hydra see them too, the red lights and now it is Bucky who grins.

They’re now distracted which makes it easier for him, to direct the streams of magic through the crystal and with a shudder it explodes. The blast throws all men off their feet with the splinters flying wild around them. 

A handful of them bury themselves into Bucky’s chest right above his heart, trying to get deeper, the ice immediately trying freezing his body and mind. It’s so cold and it gets colder still. 

The red lights multiply and engulf Rumlow and Rollins who are still lying on the ground, stunned. A red-clad woman, so young she could still be a girl walks into the glade. 

“You are not welcome here," she says with a strange accented and angry voice, her brown hair swirling in the wind.

Bucky tries to get up, forming a spell, doing something but the power of his previous spell grows, amplified through the explosion of the relic. He still feels the coldness inside him, how it tries to take over his mind like in ages ago. He rips open his cloak and claws at his chest, trying to get out the shards of ice, that a burrowing themselves deeper and deeper.

The world narrows down to the pain and coldness in his body until the red wisps are coming to him.

“Stay still," the woman suggests, suddenly beside him, weaving with her fingers a spell that makes him gasp as the shards raise themselves from his body. Finally, they are floating above his chest and then crumble to little specks of dust. A wisp of wind scatters them apart and that was it. The relic, that caused so much pain is gone. 

It seems so easy now it’s gone and Bucky doesn’t trust this luck but then he has other things to worry about. 

“The two of them… “ he gasps. “They’re Hydra.”

“They are no danger anymore," the red witch hushes him. “See?”

Bucky cranes his head towards the direction she points out to him. The two men, Rumlow and Rollins, are scrambling up, looking into the world with wide eyes almost like newborns. 

“Wha-?”

“Where are we?”

“What happened?” Bucky asks the young woman without looking away from the two men,

“They were hit by your spell and the crystal. Together with my magic, I think … I think they lost their minds?” she sounds unsure which doesn’t assure Bucky the least.

“No, I think, they just lost their memories … or they’re blocked somehow. I know how that feels.”

“Ah, because you are the _Winter Soldier_ , am I right?” The witch doesn’t sound afraid instead she sounds almost impressed. “I heard of you.”

Bucky sighs. This doesn’t bode well. Memories are flowing back but they’re still fractured. He hopes, he will never remember everything.

“My name is Bucky," he says firmly. “What’s your name?”

“It’s Wanda. But they call me the _Scarlet Witch_ ”, she smiles at him and the red wisps light up at her words as if to emphasize them. 

“Ah … I heard of you too. You were…”

“An experiment, after they lost you.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know this. Only that you existed.”

“Don’t be … I broke free just like you.”

For a little while, they look at each other in silence with the noises of the forest creeping back into the scenery, completely ignoring the two Hydra hunters.

“Bucky!” A loud yell breaks the comfortable silence between the two witches as Steve is suddenly crashing through the shrubs and into the glade.

“There you are!” So fast he is at Bucky’s side that he almost gets dizzy. “You can’t just disappear like that!”

“It’s okay now…” Bucky tries to calm him down but is then getting hugged until he can’t breathe. “Steve…”, he gasps, trying to loosen the medics grasp.

“I was so worried. How can you do this to me?” The smaller man is so angry and for a short moment, Bucky feels sorry.

Wanda smiles amused at the both of them. “I don’t want to disturb you in your happy reunion, but … what shall we do about them?”

“Huh?” It’s the first time, Steve seems to notice that he’s not alone with Bucky, who smiles and looks to the two Hydra hunters, who still seem to have no idea what’s going on.

“I have just the right idea…” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What has Bucky in mind for Rumlow and Rollins?
> 
> If you liked it so far, please leave a comment :)
> 
> <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I was again sick for a few days, but here is chapter 4 with the 5th already finished and the last one finally in the works. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it as much as I as I was when I was writing it :)

“You sure about them?”

“I don’t think, they pose any danger right now. They barely know their own names, let alone about Hydra," Bucky says to Steve, munching on a slice of bread.

They’re sitting at the tavern with Wanda, Natasha, Sam and Clint after they brought Rumlow and Rollins to the mayor and explained the situation.

No one was particularly happy about it, but they didn’t know what exactly they should do with them except that they can’t let them creep around the woods. What they didn’t explain to the mayor that the witches were once deeply acquainted with Hydra. That detail they kept to themselves. 

Wanda accompanied them to the village, happy to have found new friends. Besides, Bucky insisted that she would come with them at least for dinner. Now she is sitting with them at the table, eating her mushroom soup that Clint recommended and seems content with her company.

“What do you think, they will be doing with them?” Steve asks Natasha who shrugs. 

“Who knows? After they have been thoroughly questioned, they can work on Grandma Chloe’s farm or wherever.” She seems not to care about the fate of the two Hydra hunters but then who else does.

“We should keep an eye on them no matter what. It’s a wonder, they didn’t end up in prison, where they belong," Sam grumbles, decidedly not happy about the whole thing.

“They said, they couldn’t remember and there is still the possibility that they were controlled like Bucky. When in doubt…?”

Steve means well but Bucky wished, he wouldn’t have reminded them of that fact even if it’s true. He helps himself to a mug of ale, drinking half of it in one gulp. His chest still hurts but the coldness has completely subsided. There are only the traces of his cold the day before but then, some witches can heal very fast. Wanda’s power and Steve’s smile certainly helped. But still, there is something he needs to tell them.

“There is another relic," he says carefully, averting his eyes of the reaction of his mates.

There are indeed gasps, but Wanda nods calmly. 

“I know," she tells him. “They will certainly try again.”

“But they lost the first one, which is a victory for us.” Oh Steve, thank you for seeing at least this bright spot.

“So we have to be careful, be on the watch and when they come again, we just hide Bucky and destroy the relic. Done.” Clint makes it sound so easy, Bucky is almost thankful. 

But he shakes his head. “No. It needs powerful magic to destroy it and I don’t want to hide here. I’ll only bring you danger. Perhaps it’s the best, I go alone and confront them.”

“No!” Steve is getting angry again, he feels it. “You won’t do that. Not alone," he’s gently adding as he grabs Bucky’s hand with his slender fingers surprisingly hard. 

Natasha sends them both curious but amused looks. “So, what will we do then?” 

***

After they decided that Bucky would go at least with Wanda into the woods, Steve and he are walking to his cabin to gather a few things he might need. 

“How’s your chest?” Steve asks as Bucky is throwing a shirt into his bag.

“Good, I think?” Bucky guesses, rubbing at his shirt and feeling up the bandage, Steve wrapped around his chest after they went home to the village. It doesn’t hurt anymore, just itches from time to time. Indeed, witches can heal fast. But Steve is an expert in healing and it didn’t hurt that he tended to him. 

“Let me see,” his friend insists, moving closer.

“It’s not about the wounds, is it?” Bucky grins as Steve turns almost beet red. 

“If so … what about it?” Steve doesn’t sound defensive, instead, he licks his lips absently with Bucky staring at him. Maybe not so absently but more suggestively. He feels himself harden at the sudden thought of these lips wrapped around his aching cock. 

As if Steve guesses his thoughts, he smiles, moving closer still so they are chest to chest. His fingertips dance over the lacing of his shirt, opening one knot then another one. Bucky could just tilt his head down and kiss this alluring mouth, but the dance around is too sweet right now. It’s the first time someone attempts to seduce him in a long time, he realizes.

“I wouldn’t mind," Bucky whispers, so close now that he can feels Steve’s breath against his own.

“Yeah?” Another one of the knots is loosened up and warm fingers stroke above the tight bandage that isn’t required anymore.

“Uh-huh…” And with that, Bucky surges the last inches forward and presses his lips to Steve’s. It’s chaste for exactly one second and then Steve is opening up, letting his tongue slip inside. Bucky grabs him by the hips, pressing him closer against himself, feeling Steve’s hardness against his loins. 

“Couldn’t let you go without a proper kiss," Steve gasps as they part for a short time. “Wanted to fuck you for a long time now. Would … would you let me do this?” he asks, sounding almost innocently if Bucky wouldn’t know it better by now.

“I would let you do anything to me. Besides, I can’t deny you anything," he answers truthfully, getting gleefully excited at the thought of Steve, tiny Steve, holding him down, dominating him, making him his and his alone. It’s because it’s him. He trusts Steve to not hurt him on purpose, to make him feel so good.

Steve lightens up at his answer and kisses him again, this time pressing back with his body so Bucky has to step back until the back of his thighs hit the edge of his table. 

A sudden, loud knock on the cabin’s door doesn’t let them jump apart but they still down nevertheless.

“It’s Clint," Bucky says a little bit annoyed, already mourning the moment between them. But the prospect of a long, sweet night in the arms of his lover still stands, right? 

“Can you two please hurry up? There have been talks in the village about some activities in the west, possibly Hydra," Clint calls through the door, maybe already knowing what Steve and Bucky were about to do.

“I’m just checking his bandages," Steve calls back, getting some opaque answer from Clint outside.

“Maybe I should really check these," he says and deftly opens Bucky’s shirt with the precision of the competent medic that he is. He unwraps the bandages quickly and inspects the two small, red scars above Bucky’s heart. 

“Looks good,” and he certainly doesn’t mean the healed wounds because his eyes are twinkling and his mouth forms a wolfish grin. 

“We’ll get our chance," Bucky tells him and then kisses him again. Now may be not the right time, no matter how much they both want it.

Steve hums approvingly and takes the opportunity to grab his ass. “This will be mine," he promises and with that he lets Bucky go to gather his last few things. 

* * *

Clint accompanied them to Wanda's glade in the woods, where they said they goodbyes with kisses and promises and then Steve is alone with the huntsman. 

“You really like him, huh?” 

“Are you jealous that I got the hot witch and you don’t?” Steve snickers in a good mood.

“Nah”, Clint says, walking through the scrubs. “But I worry about you. He is not some normal witch. Nat isn’t the only one who heard of the _Winter Soldier._ ”

“What are you trying to say? You want to warn me?” 

“I like him, you know? He’s still strange but nice. But the Winter Soldier killed people. Innocent people, Steve. And if he’s so easy to control with some fancy relic, then this is something to worry about.”

“This is why he’s hiding with Wanda and this is why we’re searching for Hydra.”

“I hope, we get something out of the two goons.” Clint means Rumlow and Rollins who are still in the custody of Sam and his guardsmen. 

On their way home, they’re silent since the issue about Bucky died down. Besides some minor chatting about this and that, there isn’t something Steve wants to talk about. He remembers how he held Bucky through his tears as he cried about the things he had done. Steve had not understood then and could only guess that it was something he did in the war. Wars are always cruel, they always draw out the ugliness in the men and women who fight in them.

He can’t fathom Bucky as a remorseless killer. It is all the more important to get this other relic, who could control him again and fight this Hydra to eradicate them from this world.

“Guys, we have a problem!” Sam greets them with two other guards as soon as Steve and Clint arrive at the gate of the village. “Rumlow and Rollins are beginning to remember and they told the people about Bucky.”

“Damn, that was fast.” Clint clicks his tongue. “Didn’t Wanda say, it would be doubtful they ever regain their memories?” 

“It can’t be changed now”, but it worries Steve so much. He knows that Sam doesn’t think differently of Bucky but what about his guards? They don’t seem too troubled but Steve won’t let himself be fooled. They guard their expressions as well as the village, perhaps they think they can take on one warlock, even if he is a ghost story. 

“Don’t worry," Sam guesses Steve’s thoughts. “The guards are on our side. But that can’t be said about some people. With the rumors of Hydra they’re becoming afraid.”

It’s a really good thing, that Bucky is with Wanda right now, even if Steve would have wanted him now by his side. He shakes his head slowly, thinking. “What are we gonna do now?”

“First things first. We go after Hydra like we planned to. Get the relic, fight them and then maybe the village calms down. Besides … it’s not everybody who now thinks ill of Bucky.” Sam smiles assuringly. He’s right of course. The village is not full of bad people, only of some judgemental ones. But they know Bucky and all the good things he did for them, that he’s nice and friendly, even if not everybody warmed up to him.

“Okay…” Steve says. “Let’s go to these troublemakers and let’s hear what they’re saying.”

***

According to Rumlow and Rollins, Hydra has set a camp in the west of the woods opposite of Wanda’s glade.

“How do we fight them?” Sam asks into the round. They’re sitting at the clinic, first wanting to eat something but Steve isn’t getting anything down.

Natasha flips her knife. “From within," she suggests. “I could sneak in and…”

“No, that’s too dangerous," Steve protests.

“Steve, I can do that. I could steal this relic and then you can fight them all you want.” Natasha has a point, Steve has to admit. But still, he doesn’t like the thought of his friend in the midst of these fiends.

“She’s right. If they don’t have the relic, they can’t awaken the Winter Soldier if something goes wrong," Clint says.

“How many people can we get to fight?” Natasha asks.

“My guards are ready, but we have to leave some of them here to protect the village if Hydra decides to attack it.” Sam rubs his chin in thought. 

“It would be easier if we can get help from the guards of the other villages, but there isn’t time, right?” 

Sam’s answer to Nat’s question comes fast and sure. “No, there isn’t, but I see what I can do. The next big town is too far away and help from the king would be hard to get in such a short time. If they attack in the next few days, they won’t have time enough to reach us.” 

“So, Natasha will sneak into their camp…” Steve begins but gets interrupted by Clint.

“First I will explore the area, we still have to find the camp.”

“Fine, then Natasha will sneak in, steal the relic and then we storm the camp. Sounds almost too easy," Steve concludes.

“But it’s a solid plan," Sam says, nodding and Steve hopes he’s right.

“Well, what are we waiting for?”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Bucky sit on his feet as Steve and his friends are working against Hydra? What will he do with Wanda by his side?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here is chapter 5, which took a long time to write for me. Chapter 6 is in the works but will sadly take a while until it's finished.
> 
> Hope you have fun with it :)

Bucky is moping. Wanda ignores it gracefully and instead tries to engage him in some conversation. But she’s mostly talking to herself with Bucky only providing taciturn responses. He doesn’t want to be rude but still, he misses Steve and worries for him.

It has now been a week since he’s practically gone to exile and he wonders how the village but more particularly Steve fares. They agreed that he would come to visit when Natasha returns with the relic for them to destroy as they don’t want to attract Hydra to Wanda’s glade.

The not knowing what they’re doing drives Bucky crazy. Thankfully Wanda gives him something to do, setting a knife and some roots to cut before him.

“You must have to do something," she says smiling knowingly and resume to talk about her brother.

Her twin brother still lives in her home village, some country from far away. He also practiced some magic and was a subject to Hydras experimentations. As it turned out, they both volunteered for it, misled by Hydra’s warlocks who promised them better control of their powers for the good of their village. 

“He said, he wants a second winter to awaken the _Skull_ ," Wanda tells as she is stirring some brew inside her cauldron.

Ah, the _Red Skull_. He’s a powerful demon but was banished in the great war of the witches. Bucky can’t remember how it exactly happened, only that he should never awaken again. It was a dark time.

“Sorry, who said that?” he asks her with unease.

“Pierce. Alexander Pierce, an old warlock from your times.” A shudder runs through both o them at her words for different reasons.

Bucky knows this name. It had eluded him for whatever reasons.

“Blond hair, blue eyes, smart as a whip with words for weapons, right? How can he still be alive? He was already old in my time and that was eighty years ago.” Bucky abandons the roots and rubs his temples. His headache is getting stronger.

Wanda clicks her tongue and searches for something in the cabins until she finally finds it. It’s a small vial that she gives him.

“Here, rub this on your temples," she says and as he complies she tries to answer his question. “Yes, he is alive still, I think. He draws the life forces of the people … like a vampire. But they give it to him freely, deluded by his promises, by his words. The longer they deal with him, the more energy he gets from them.” 

It’s a foul thing for a witch to do and not all of them are capable of this feat. But Alexander Pierce’s power was always his way with words.

Bucky sighs as the tincture of the vial enfolds its effect, a slight cool tingling at his temples and slowly the pain in his head subsides. But the cold horror of Wanda’s words still stands.

Pierce is alive. That means, he will certainly be at the Hydra camp. “We have to warn Natasha.”

“She is smart, she will outwit them all.” Wanda is so confident, she wishes he could share this trust. But he fears for her. 

“If not Natasha, we should warn at least the others.” 

“You already made your decision, did you?” Wanda smiles at him and it seems a bit worried. “But I have to say, you should wait for them to at least gather the relic.”

“I know, I know…” Bucky tries to assure her but she shakes her head. 

“I promised Steve to take care of you, but I can’t exactly chain you here, can I?”

No, she can’t. “But you can come with me," he suggests with a wink.

The red witch seems unsure for a moment but then nods.

“That I can do.”

***

“How did you escape them?”

“Oh?” Wanda looks up and then to him as they fly through the sky on their brooms towards the hills. They were arguing if it would be better to maintain a low profile and walk, but Bucky insisted to go the fast way and that would be by flying. Wanda eventually relented and so they are now soaring through the air.

“Well, Pietro and I were so scared when they told us to weave it.”

Wanda had told him of the spell to awaken the _Red Skull_. That means, that Pierce had found the catalysts that he needs for that kind of incantation.

Lesser men would have done it, Bucky things. Certainly out of fear of Hydra. But these two children had figured them out and not even Alexander Pierce could intimidate them enough to force them to do this spell. 

“Pietro stole it and burned it, the page out of Pierce's grimoire with the spell, but we barely escaped. They were so strong and we …”

“You were so very young,” Bucky tells her and wished it were true for himself too.

Wanda smiles a bit sad at him as she guides her broom closer to his and they fly quietly for a while together through the air. Flying with her comes easy, the wisps of their magical energies aligning themselves easily.

“Do you think they will attempt another such spell?” Bucky eventually asks. “Pierce must have a copy of it.”

“Maybe…” she answers. “But as it seems, they’re more focused on getting you back since they discovered you being alive.”

“How did they do this?”

“They had time and Hydra has their men everywhere.” She almost shrugs. “We could discuss this all night and come to no satisfying answer, you know?”

“I know…” he sighs and sees the old oak, their cue to fly lower as they approach the village. “When this all is over … I want you to come to the village. I don’t like the thought of you all alone out there in the woods. Uh, if you want to.”

On her broom, Wanda laughs quietly. “I like being alone," she says and Bucky understands, but cannot help being disappointed. “But…” Wanda continues. “I like being with you guys better. You’re nice.”

“Yes, we are," Bucky grins and proceeds to land on the grass with both feet, at first a bit out of balance with all the momentum but quickly recovers after a few steps forward.

Wanda lands safely beside him. 

“And now let’s find Steve.”

* * *

The last week was decidedly not easy for Steve. He misses Bucky terribly and worrying for Natasha did make it worse. Clint had found the camp rather quickly with the information from Rumlow and Rollins. It’s not very big but full of hunters and warlocks as he’d discovered. But he’d also discovered a rather big tent painted with magical sigils which could be that of their head warlock and the location, where the relic could be stored.

Natasha would sneak up the camp and get possession of the relic and everything else that would look interesting as she confidently said. 

Their village is not happy about the situation, the mayor furious that their witch had brought them such trouble, but nevertheless he ordered them to their weapons. Steve was surprised to discover how many of the villagers were ready to fight not only for their home as he always thought of them rather docile (if not for some brutes), but as they said: “for our witch”. 

Bucky’s secret is now out in the open but there were not many people found who had a real problem with it. _We know our Bucky, he’s not some monster_ , they said, _he chased the winter away and the children like him._ And that was it. Steve is so proud of them, Sarah would be proud too, he thinks. But how does one prepare for a fight against trained warlocks and hunters? 

“What do we know about it?” Rumlow grumbles as Steve asks him. “Your witches have robbed us of our memories.”

Steve doesn’t point out that they conveniently remembered the position of the Hydra camp and that it was their own fault for being with Hydra in the first place.

“We’re hunters, not farmers…” the man complains as he proceeds to feed the pigs at Grandma Chloe's farm.

Steve raises an eyebrow. “I thought, you couldn’t remember clearly.”

“Not everything … but this? Don’t get me wrong, we’re grateful…” he doesn’t sound particularly grateful, Steve thinks. “But we could be much more useful.”

“We’ll see," he says and turns to walk to the farmhouse to see the husband of Grandma Chloe for his bad leg. 

“Hey!”, Rumlow shouts, swinging his leg over the fence to sit on it. “That witch of yours, the Winter Soldier, where’s he at, huh?”

“His name is Bucky," Steve hisses as he draws back to face the man again. “And don’t you worry about him.”

There is a grin flashing over Rumlow’s face. “Oh, I don’t worry about him for sure. But if they control him again … that would mean a world of pain for us all. You have to know the stories by now. About what he did, your Bucky.” He snorts, shaking his head in blatant amusement. 

“I don’t see what’s so funny about that.” Steve has enough of this repulsive man. His eyes narrow and he wants to go but can’t. There is something in Rumlow’s voice that tells him, the man has even more to say.

“He seems such a nice guy in such a nice village where the people are so nice, too. It’ll be a shame when he kills you all after they scrambled his brain in his head.”

“Shut your mouth, Rumlow," an annoyed sounding voice from behind them calls and Rollins shows up, carrying a stack of hay. The scarred man usually hasn’t much to say but seems now angry enough to raise his voice. “You’ll be the first to cry when he rips you up and freezes your sorry remains. Now get back to work.”

Steve can’t say he’s thankful for Rollins’ interruption. With a last hard look at both of them, he turns to walk to the farmhouse and see after the owner’s husband. The things they said about Bucky sits heavily on his stomach. They’re right, it’s easy to like Bucky and not see the things the Winter Soldier had apparently done. 

But still, it’s Bucky. Bucky who danced with the children at the summer solstice. Who sat down with Minka and talked with the unhappy, lovesick girl for hours instead of just giving her a love spell. Who took Steve up the sky and cried in his arms about the horrors he must have experienced. Who kissed him so sweetly.

Steve loves Bucky, that’s the simple truth, no matter what. They can talk about what he did as long as they want to, but Steve knows it better. Bucky is not a monster.

It’s even more important now that Natasha gets this magical relic and they defeat this Hydra, so Bucky can go back to the village.

***

After he looked at the bad leg of Grandma Chloe’s husband, Steve goes back to his clinic only to encounter some commotion in the marketplace.

There are Clint and Sam, trying to calm down a group of people with Natasha. 

“They’re ready to attack us!”

“What are we waiting for?”

“We should just give them the witch, maybe they’ll leave us alone…”

“How can you say this?”

“He’s right! Just give them the witch.”

“What’s going on?” Steve walks towards them and they draw back a bit, letting their medic go to his friends.

“Natasha has just come back”, Clint says.

“With some good and some bad news, unfortunately”, she says patting her bag. “I have the relic, that’s the good news.”

Steve draws a breath. “That’s good … that’s really good.” He tries a smile but knows it falters halfway.

“The bad news is…” she sighs and then continues, “ … they have already plans to attack the village. I don’t know what they’re waiting for but the attack could come soon.”

“ … and they have a warlock with the power to invoke the _Red_ _Skull_ ," a dark voice tells them und Steve’s heart takes a happy leap. It’s Bucky.

The witch has come home together with Wanda who seems as nervous as Bucky himself. They have their brooms with them which must mean that they made a hasty journey back to the village. So it must also be important. 

His mother sometimes told him of a powerful demon from the fires of hell, ready to burn the world to cinders. Never was it really invoked but several attempts were made. She had called it the _Red Skull_ and it had always scared Steve almost to tears. 

A murmur goes through the crowd but Steve doesn’t pay particular attention to them. Instead, he leaps at Bucky who catches him easily in his arms, pressing Steve against him in a big hug. 

“I missed you," he whispers and then wriggles free to give the witch a hard look. “I thought, I told you to stay with Wanda?”

“Wanda is here with me, so technically I’m still with her," Bucky tries and then kisses him, likely to shut him up but Steve won’t complain. He sighs against his lips and wants to deepen it but hears coughing, likely from Clint. 

So he lets go of Bucky, regretting it already but there are more pressing matters.

“Why did you come back?”

“I see that Natasha is safe but there is something that I must tell you,” Bucky begins and promptly gets interrupted.

“Yeah, we should send the witch back to Hydra," some guy insists again and Bucky looks hurt for a short moment before regaining his composure and ignoring the rude guy.

“They have with them a warlock. He … he was the one who controlled me.”

“Not anymore, I have the relic.” Natasha holds her bag in front of her, gently patting it. 

“That’s very good," Wanda says nodding, Bucky looks almost relieved. But still, he worries, Steve can see it on his pale face.

“Can we speak somewhere more private?” he asks them, not looking pointedly at the gathering crowd, who is whispering of the sudden return of their witch.

“Of course," Sam says and turns around to address the villagers sternly with his face tightly guarded. “There is nothing to discuss here and now and we’re most certainly not sending Bucky to those vile people.”

The crowd continues to murmur but bit by bit they scatter off. 

“Let’s go to the clinic.”

* * *

They sit together in Steve’s kitchen with the relic lying on the table. It’s another crystal made from pure ice but bigger, more cut sharp with the coldness reaching out to them. Natasha had shrouded it in black cloth and Bucky wishes she would wrap it up again. He averts his eyes, not caring to look at that thing. The scars of his left arm are tingling.

“I already tried to destroy it but it won’t shatter from brute force”, Natasha tells them. “It won’t even melt in fire.”

“Well, it _is_ a magical artifact. Bucky and I will see about that. I think it will take more force than the last time.” Wanda looks at him and nods confidently. She is a strong witch, he knows that already and doesn’t doubt that they’ll fulfill this deed. 

“Good … then we’ll see about this Pierce.” Natasha says and again Bucky has to shudder which Steve notices and he’s laying a soothing hand on his thigh. He tries to bravely smile at him but doesn’t know if he succeeds.

It took a while to tell them of his past with Alexander Pierce, some of it still fragmented like the reason why he first fell under his control and what was before that time. “I thought he was a good man once, just wanting the best for this world, peace and order. I don’t know how he fell to the likes of Hydra and it doesn’t matter why. If he raises the Red Skull the world will burn.”

“Also a form of peace and order if nothing exists anymore except your own people," Clint quips and gets some evil looks for that.

“He needs a catalyst, someone strong enough to channel the energies to invoke such a demon. I don’t think, he already found someone for that kind of feat as he probably wanted to use Bucky," Wanda tells them.

It’s now Steve, who shudders and then asks: “But why didn’t Pierce attempt to do this when he had him under his control?”

“It’s probably because he didn’t see the need at that time, thinking he could do this all his way. And he got older, ancient … a witch can only prolong their life through this method or that for a certain time. Even if they are sucking the life force out of their victims like those vampires," Wanda explains and they all grimace. 

Sam is the first to recover. “How do we fight him?” 

“I suggest that Bucky and I single him out whilst you all fight the hunters. Together we’ll defeat him.” How can Wanda be so sure, Bucky asks himself. She’s so strong and confident and she’s right too. 

“He’ll be protected but once he’s out alone, we might have a chance," he says and wants to believe it too.

“Well, we’ll have to organize the guards and whoever wants to fight with us, so Clint and I have something to do now.” Sam picks himself up, patting Clint on his back. 

“What will I do?” Steve finally asks after staying quiet for so long.

Five pairs of eyes look straight at him and Bucky wants to tell him to stay at home no matter what. But then Natasha is speaking: “You’ll come with me, stay in the shadows until someone needs your help and they will need your help. I don’t see anyone coming out of this unharmed. The camp isn’t big, but we don’t have many men.”

If he says now that it’s too dangerous for Steve to go, Bucky knows that Steve will have something to say about that. Besides Natasha will be with him. He still doesn’t like this plan but Steve is sitting there grinning and with his eyes gleaming. Steve is strong in his own way, Bucky reminds himself. He won’t stop worrying though.

“Well, then we just have to destroy this thing here which gives me the creeps and then we can call it a day”, Clint contributes to their discussion.

“Yes, of course. Bucky, we’re doing this outside, yes?” Wanda moves to stand up and Bucky proceeds to follow her.

***

With the combined energies of both witches, the destruction of the relic goes smoothly and that was it. Bucky feels a bit freer after that and eventually all but Steve and he are excusing themselves for tonight, with Sam and Clint going to the guards to instruct them and Wanda accompanying Natasha to her house. Steve graciously invited her to stay but seemed a bit relieved when Nat interrupted him with her own invitation. 

“Finally I have you all for myself," Steve sighs as the door closed after Nat and Wanda and exactly one second after that he throws himself into Bucky’s already waiting arms.

They kiss fervently with Steve’s hands grabbing him impatiently at his hips and ass. 

“Bed?” Steve huskily asks, pressing him gently and already in the direction of the stairs up to his room.

Bucky can only nod. On their way up they lose their shirts, letting them lie carelessly on the floor. In the bedroom they finally get rid of their pants and seeing Steve naked for the first time is a revelation. His body may be small, all fine bones and lean muscles but his dick is already hard and leaking. It’s thick and long, rosy at the tip glistening with the first drops of precum. 

“I’ve wanted to fuck you since forever..”

“But we’ve known each other for just four months," Bucky counters helplessly at such a confession, but Steve just grins. It seems, he knows what he wants and Bucky can’t argue with that. The thought of fucking Steve is not exactly a new one but he could only dream of it, never thought he could really have him.

“Come here … I wanna suck you.” Steve points at his bed, a rather big and comfy one as if it is the only real luxury he allows himself. It sounds almost like a command and it is one Bucky wants desperately to follow. 

He takes the last few steps to the bed and sits down at the edge, still not entirely sure if this is not a dream. Steve takes the time to look at him and then steps between his open thighs to sink down onto his knees. There are fleeting kisses against the skin of his abdomen that sink quickly lower. On his way down he dips his tongue for a short moment into his belly button but Steve loses his patience quickly and wet heat engulfs him. Bucky draws a sharp breath. Steve’s hot, wet mouth is heaven. It takes all his willpower to not just thrust up and bury himself into his throat. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart," Steve purrs as he draws back for a moment and just licks with short, little stripes along the underside of his cock. “I’m all yours.” And that is all permission Bucky needs. 

He tries at first a shallow thrust as Steve takes him into his mouth again, but soon Steve opens his throat, letting him in. He taps his thigh gently to let him know that he can take it and Bucky follows him, thrusting as slowly and carefully as he can and even this feels wonderful. Steve swallows around him, humming gently which elicits a series of moans. What did he do to deserve someone as beautiful and stunning as Steve?

Bucky doesn’t realize it fully when he’s nearing his release but Steve is carefully letting go of him. “Not yet," he smiles. “I want to feel you around me when you come.” 

He groans at Steve’s words but more so as Steve is standing up and walks around to the nightstand to draw out a small jar. Bucky scrabbles over the bed to make himself a bit more comfortable and Steve is with him a few seconds later.

“My own recipe”, he says as he coats his fingers with the salve. “I think, you’ll like it.” 

Bucky licks his lips as a first fingertip is gently swirling around his hole, smearing the salve around and soon he notices it. The salve warms up, relaxing him and Steve comments his realization with a knowing smile. “You really come prepared, do you?” Bucky laughs in his throat. 

“Of course, sweetheart. Nothing but the best…” With that Steve carefully enters him with a long, slender finger and soon a second follows. As he smoothly prepares him, scissoring his two fingers inside him, he slides a third finger into him, brushing his prostate. Bucky wails, lettings his legs fall wider open. It’s so good, he thinks he could come only from this.

But Steve regretfully stops as soon as he notices Bucky’s dick leaking a steady stream of precum and his insides clenching around him, trying to draw him deeper. “I think, you’re ready”, he grins and coats his cock with the slick.

As soon as Steve is back in his arms, they kiss again, their dicks sliding against each other which creates exciting friction. It’s not enough for both of them and Steve takes himself into his hand, massaging his cock for a short moment and then presses the tip against Bucky’s entrance. They both groan as he finally slips inside and Steve can’t hold back a first few thrusts before he stills, not daring to move.

“Gods, you’re so tight and hot," he moans into his ear and proceeds to nuzzle Bucky’s neck, his cock twitching inside Bucky. “I could come right now.”

But he doesn’t. After a while, he moves again, a few careful thrusts before they go harder. Bucky clenches his legs around Steve’s small waist, trying to move with his thrusts. They quickly find a rhythm they both relish and soon they both are panting for release. Each thrust finds Bucky’s sweet spot deep inside him, making him whimper and moan, clenching around Steve’s cock as his hips stutter and a flood of warmth is spilling inside Bucky. With that he’s coming, falling deep into his release which splatters against Steve’s belly.

“Oh gods, Bucky. You came untouched…” Steve marvels with glowing eyes and kisses him, waking him slowly up from his orgasm. “Thank you, sweetheart. You were so wonderful.” Bucky’s chest swells with pride at all this praise as a few tears spring free which Steve gently wipes away. 

Afterward, Steve gathers a cloth to wipe them clean and snuggles into Bucky’s arms. With the blankets draped over them, they fall into an easy sleep.

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter for this AU. I know, it's rather short but wraps up the story so far. I'm not sure yet but maybe I'll write more one day.
> 
> I had so much fun writing this whole story, so thank you for reading, commenting and giving kudos.

In the end, there was no epic showdown. The husk that was left of the once proud and powerful warlock Alexander Pierce blew quickly away in the stormblast Wanda and Bucky together evoked. His words, laced with magic of sweet honey and belladonna, didn’t save him, all these tricks couldn’t sway the two witches he once held under his control. 

Outside of his tent, the guards were fighting the Hydra hunters until the death of their leader brought the battle to a stillstand and then they scattered hastily away. A few of them who were too slow for Sam’s guards, were arrested to be questioned. The informations could prove valuable as they could rescue nothing from Pierce’s tent as it was thoroughly destroyed by the explosion.

Steve didn’t have much to do. Sure, there were some wounds he could tend to but the fight didn’t last long enough. Maybe he is now a bit surly about the fact that he couldn’t do much, but seeing as Bucky and his friends are all unharmed he can’t be really angry. 

Bucky seemed a bit distraught after the fight but alright, so he doesn’t worry about him. Only in the night as they were finally alone he spoke of all the things Pierce once said to him and how he tried to sway him again to his side. How hard it really was to resist but the thought of Steve preserved his sanity. There were many tears as he spoke of his past with Pierce and Steve held his sweetheart in his arms. They made love after the tears dried down with the full moon shining through the window.

***

Being with Bucky is not always easy. Sometimes he falls into a dark and gloomy mood, needing his time alone in his cabin or in the woods. Wanda accompanies him at times and together they forge their friendship even stronger. But he comes always home to Steve, where he now mainly lives. 

The village seems glad that they now got two witches as Wanda decided to leave her small hut in the woods and now lives with Natasha. The children fell in love with her just as they did with Bucky. 

“What do you think? Will Hydra show up again?” Sam asks Steve as they sit beside the huge bonfire, the villagers build for Samhain. 

Steve falls silent for a while, just watching Wanda and Bucky dancing now with the children after they performed the rituals to the gods. “I don’t know. I hope not. The king now knows of them and they have heard of more suspicious activities which could be linked to Hydra, so I think, they’ll care about that. But they lost their head warlock, maybe they’re just scattered about, easy to defeat.”

“I hope, you’re right. Hey, Wanda … can I have the next dance?” Sam calls over to the witch, who just laughs and shakes her head.

“You’ll have to wait, Natasha asked first.”

“Damn, Nat’s quick.”

“Wanda settled down here really well. Bucky is glad to have her here”, Steve smiles at his witch who humors Grandma Chloe with a dance, waving back to Steve.

“Yeah, it’s good for both of them. They seem happy.”

“It’s what they deserve, considering what they had gone through with Hydra and being alone so long.” 

Bucky is finally coming over to them, smiling at Sam and kissing Steve’s cheek. “You’re dancing with me now," he says laughing and it’s not a question. The music is a bit slower now as he leads Steve to the dance floor. 

“I love you, you know?” Bucky whispers in his ear, before kissing him as they gently sway to the rhythm of the drums and flutes.

“I know…”, Steve says. “I love you, too.” He can’t say it enough. Bucky’s silver-blue eyes sparkle up at his words. “Would you move in with me? I mean … officially?”

“You have to ask?” Bucky smirks and then nods. “Of course, half of my stuff is lying around yours anyway. But … can we have some goats? I want goats.” 

“Already having demands?”

“It’s not a demand," his witch protests, swinging Steve around. “Only a suggestion.”

Steve laughs. If Bucky can’t deny him anything, something that was established early, then he won’t deny his request. 

“They could live in our garden.”

“Ah, Clint can build them a stable.”

“And then they could have little kids.”

“They would be so cute.”

“As cute as you.”

“Hey, I’m not cute!”

“Yes, you are," and Bucky makes it up with a series of kisses.

***

Indeed, Clint builds them a small stable in their big backyard with the help of some villagers and soon two goats live with them. Bucky still has his cabin, where he receives the requests of the villagers but it doesn’t take long and they come to Steve’s house for him. 

“I love them," Bucky says one evening after caring for the goats for the night. He stinks of them, Steve notices and wrinkles his nose, feigning annoyance as Bucky leans down to kiss him. His witch likes to cuddle with the goats a lot and for such stubborn animals, they’re surprisingly affectionate, especially to Bucky. 

Winter comes soon and even if there is much to do, they have enough time to cuddle in front of their fireplace. There are no further words of Hydra, but still, Steve doesn’t expect that they’re gone for good. If they come again, he will show them that they will never take Bucky from him. Bucky always smiles at his words, sometimes saying that Hydra would have other worries than one witch from the past but if they come, a storm will await them. A storm named Steve and the whole village plus two goats. 

It’s not that Bucky can’t defend himself, but Steve can’t let go of his protectiveness and his witch seems to like it. 

After winter comes an early and warm spring with the two witches chasing the frost away. They celebrate with their friends the day, Bucky arrived in the village one year ago and life is so good with him at his side.

“You know, you’re the best thing that happened to me," Bucky says, his voice rough after hours of lovemaking. He’s brushing Steve’s hair back as he lies snuggling up in his arms, the faraway light of the early morning sun.

“After mom died, I thought, I could never truly be happy again. Sure, I have Nat and Sam and even Clint and they’re like family to me. But you … you’re the missing piece. You and Wanda and the goats … I can’t be happier now.” Steve sighs and feels it, the bliss of the afterglow, the promise of a new morning, the happiness of his found family.

“Our life will not always be so quiet, there are still things out there that will haunt us. Hydra is not defeated. I don’t think, they’re interested in me or Wanda anymore, but still … I want them gone.”

Steve hums pensively at Bucky’s words, trying to figure out what he really wants to say, but then Bucky is speaking again.

“We spoke … Natasha and I, I mean. We want to travel to the city, see what they know and … and we want to hunt them.”

Steve detaches himself from Bucky’s arms to stare at him, finding the blue eyes of his love watching him carefully. Bucky wants to go, he thinks. He wants to leave, hunting ghosts from his past that, yeah, Hydra might still be a danger to everyone, but still. The thought of Bucky going away hurts.

“I won’t go yet," his witch eventually says, perhaps guessing Steve’s thoughts. “And I will always come back to you. You know that. I wouldn’t leave you with the goats alone for too long.” 

Steve doesn’t exactly like to get teased now but it does take the sting out of Bucky’s words and plans. “I want to come with you, but …”

“... the village needs its medic.” Bucky smiles sadly for a moment and then brushes that sad smile away for a brave one. “For now I am here and I will stay. We will have the spring and the summer. Natasha will first go alone to the city and then send for me when she had her audience with the king. Don’t ask how she plans to accomplish that, but she said, she had her means.”

Natasha is so full of secrets, sometimes Steve wonders, what her real profession once was, before she came to the village, finding her peace here with them all.

“Okay," he sighs, cuddling back into Bucky’s strong arms. 

“Okay?”

“I trust you, Bucky. Let’s make the best of the time we have now.”

“We will have a lifetime together. I don’t plan to hunt them forever, I want to destroy them as quickly as possible.”

“I know. But the goats will miss you.”

“Just the goats?”, Bucky grins.

“Jerk.”

“Punk.”

Steve has to smile and is suddenly filled with so much love and affection for this man that he fears he has to burst. What are a few months of pining after him as Bucky is fighting against the evil forces when he can have him after that for as long as his whole life?

“I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you, too.”

Maybe the things will not always be alright, maybe Bucky will be hurt and Steve will miss him terribly, always worrying about him. But for now, his love is here and holding him, his beautiful, brave and kind witch.

Everything will be alright.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thank you all for reading this fic and hope, you enjoyed it as I enjoyed writing it. It really was a pleasure.
> 
> Maybe there will be more and I make it a series, but for now the story is finished.
> 
> If you want to talk to me, I have [Twitter](https://twitter.com/gespensterkatze).

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it so far, please consider leaving kudos and comments. I will love you for it, I promise :)
> 
> <3


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